Tampa Bay’s biggest celebration of Black-owned businesses is back this Saturday in St. Pete’s Historic Deuces District. The 3rd-Annual Juneteenth Business Expo takes place at 9th Avenue and 22nd Street South from 10 am – 4 pm.

As part of the annual Juneteenth extravaganza, the massive festival will feature Black-owned vendors and makers from a variety of industries, educational and kid-friendly activities, and a journey of Black music and artistic entertainment through live performances. There will also be several delicious food trucks on hand as part of the celebration designed for the whole family.

Last year’s celebration featured more than 200 vendors, and organizers expect this year’s event to be even bigger. The Expo was created to bring together BIPOC businesses from all over Tampa Bay as a way to celebrate Black culture and build unity in the community.

Business Panel to discuss needs for Black-owned businesses in Tampa Bay

In addition to food and fun, the highlight of the day is ‘The Blackest Dollar,’ a business panel taking place from 1 – 2:00 p.m. Hosted by Ashli Doss and Presented By Lynda Elle Public Relations, the panel will include owners of local Black-owned businesses in industries such as Hospitality, Entertainment, Sports, and Beauty.

The Juneteenth Business Expo, now in its third year, was organized by Brandi Gergle (owner of B Blaze Hair Boutique) and Melissa Gardner, the owner of Three Generations.

“Brandi and I have created an unforgettable experience that brings together African-American businesses to network, sell, and showcase their local and global brands,” Gardner said. “The celebration of Juneteenth creates a cultivating experience of love, laughter, unity, and most of all, the rotation of the Black dollar in our communities.”

Juneteenth, celebrated annually on June 19, is the oldest known commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. It marks the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, the last of the former Confederate states to abolish slavery, finally heard that the Civil War had ended, and learned that the Emancipation Proclamation had made them free nearly two years earlier.

What to read next:

• Beer-fueled carnival and night market takes over Warehouse Arts District on Saturday
• Exchange Restaurant and Bar is one of downtown’s best-kept secrets
• Parks & Rec providing free meals for children every weekday this summer
• Butcher’s Mark sets opening date on 4th Street North in St. Pete